Just hours after the Prime Minister was given a five minute standing ovation at the Labour Party's Brighton Conference, the results of our Big Poll will give the Premier a rude wake-up call.

In a series of setbacks for the PM in his North East heartland, some of Labour's main policies were attacked.

Our survey revealed:

73.5% of you said you did not trust Mr Blair.

64.7% said we were wrong to go to war with Iraq.

Another 72.1% said our troops should come home from Iraq.

More than half of you, 59.2%, don't want a regional assembly.

70% want the return of capital punishment.

90% want tougher punishments for young offenders.

66% said they are now more afraid of crime than 10 years ago.

82.4% think our asylum laws are too lax.

More than 67% want to see the country's borders closed to asylum seekers.

The poll, completed by more than 1,100 readers during last month, provides a revealing snapshot of life in the region.

The Premier came out poorly with his trust rating low among those who responded with just 19.3% saying they trusted him and 7.3% not knowing.

Other setbacks for Mr Blair, bidding for an historic third term in power, was on the war with Iraq - which he refused to apologise over during yesterday's conference speech.

Just 27.2% of you who answered our 50 question poll, said we were right to go to war and 8.2% did not know, while 72.1% said it was time for British troops to be pulled out, with 21.3% thinking they should remain and 6.6% not knowing.

The Prime Minister also suffered another crushing defeat over the issue of a regional assembly for the North East. As a referendum looms, our poll revealed just 26.9% of those surveyed backed an assembly while another 13.9% didn't know.

Mr Blair has promised a new push against criminals, but most of those who responded to our survey, mainly female and aged over 45, were deeply concerned about crime. Ninety per cent of respondents wanted tougher punishments for young offenders and 70% said capital punishment should be re-introduced for murderers.

Two-thirds, 66%, said you were more afraid of being a victim of crime today than 10 years ago, although only 28.1% thought the police should be routinely armed. Mr Blair also promised to tighten Britain's border controls by introducing identity cards and electronic registration for everyone entering the country.

That can't come soon enough for many of those we questioned with just 14% saying our asylum laws are too tough and 28% saying we should not close our borders.

Other findings were that almost 80% of you said we pay too much for petrol.

While we don't appear to be in the mood for another Royal wedding as over 48% of you said Prince Charles should not marry Camilla Parker Bowles.

As more bank call centres move their business abroad in search of cheaper labour more than 88% of readers said the Government should punish companies for doing this.

And although a referendum on whether we should adopt the Euro has been delayed, 72% of you said no to a single currency.

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On religion:

As the Anglican church faces a severe drop in congregation numbers, most Chronicle readers believe the Church is still important.

A majority of 63% said the Church was relevant in 2004, even though many may not go to church regularly.

Last year gay cleric Jeffrey John was forced to step down as Bishop of Reading, and in support of this 57% of you said gay clergy should not be allowed in the Church.

He has now been installed as Dean of St Albans to the applause of many Anglicans, but the deep disquiet of others.

Gay marriage was another big issue, with 70% saying same sex couples should not be allowed to marry.

On the topic of marriage, readers were almost divided on whether it should be more difficult for more married couples to divorce.

More than half of readers say prostitution should be legalised and a similar number say the age of consent should be raised.

Despite cancelled bus services and major traffic works, readers are standing by their public transport and cars.

Most readers want to stick to using their cars as 59% said no to giving up their vehicles for public transport to ease congestion and pollution.

They have not been put off sitting in traffic jams as Newcastle's Central Motorway and the Redheugh Bridge underwent repairs.

Tyneside's Metro system is pleasing customers as 50% of readers say they are happy with the service.

Bus services in the area just lost out on a confidence vote as 47% said they are not happy with their local bus services.

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On crime:

Chronicle readers have called for capital punishment to be re-introduced.

More than 70% want it brought back for murder.

Two-thirds are more worried about being victims of crime than they were 10 years ago and 90% said they were sick of young offenders and wanted the Government to get tougher.

Despite this, readers were against arming the police, with 65% saying they should not carry guns.

More than three-quarters say there is too much violence on TV while a similar number say the Government is too soft on drugs.

Asylum issues proved to be controversial.

More than 82% think our asylum laws are too relaxed and more than 67% want to see the country's borders closed to asylum seekers.

This gets a thumbs-up from 74% of readers who say this should be made compulsory for all.

The Prime Minister also said another Labour administration will cut radically the numbers of failed asylum seekers. By the end of 2005, and for the first time in Britain, officials will remove more each month than apply.

He also added Britain will always welcome lawful migrants and he would never play politics with the issue of race.

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On health and smoking:

Spend more money on the ailing NHS - that is the big message our readers have given the Government on health.

More than 70% said Tony Blair needs to invest more in hospitals and two thirds admitted they would go private if cash was no object.

However, on the controversial issue of prescription pricing, people were divided about whether they should be free for all.

In his speech yesterday the Prime Minister promised that in a third Labour term all patients will be able to choose their hospital, to book the time and date for treatment.

Maximum waiting times for operations will go down from 18 months to 18 weeks and 2,700 GP premises improved.

As smoking bans came into force in major shopping centres such as Eldon Square in Newcastle and Gateshead's MetroCentre, 65% of you said smokers should be told to stub it out in all public areas.

But 61% of readers were sympathetic to those suffering from smoking-related illnesses and said they should be treated on the NHS.

Most readers are health-conscious as 74% say they do not drink above the recommended Government alcohol guidelines.

This is in the face of a recent poll which shows the North East tops the drinking league tables with 29% of men and 20% of women regularly knocking back more than twice the safe daily limit, making binge drinking here twice as bad as London and the Midlands.

Despite this, many readers are keen to curb more drinking on Tyneside with 72% saying no to pubs and bars with 24-hour licences.

North East MPs Nick Brown and Fraser Kemp have welcomed the Prime Minister's speech to yesterday's Labour Conference.

But they said it was the economy which would decide the next election.

Newcastle East and Wallsend MP Mr Brown said: "There were a lot of things there that will appeal to voters, particularly Newcastle and the North East.

"I don't know about whether it will restore people's trust but what's important with Iraq is where it's going to. It's vital we create a free and democratic Iraq.

"But the issue that will decide the next election is the economy and how safe, secure and well off people feel."

Houghton and Washington East MP Mr Kemp, a Government whip, said: "I think on Iraq he went far enough.

"The question voters will be asking is can we trust this Government to deliver low unemployment and low inflation. Can we trust it to invest in public services? Can we trust it to deliver a sound economy? Can we trust it to ensure that we are better off than we would be under the Tories?

"I think the answer at the election will be yes."

But Hexham Tory MP Peter Atkinson said: "It was a typical Tony Blair speech, all words and no substance. It was a performance aimed at the people in front of him at the conference but it wouldn't do much for people outside the hall.